Did a set of mine from last year. Pretty beat by the end. The blogs are such a nice feature. It's quite elucidating to go back and examine them. I have this notion in my head that I'm still not training as much or as fast as last year. Yet that notions seem, largely, to be false based on my blog entries. Shows you what a mind game this can all be ... Last year, I would have put a positive spin on the workouts and this year I give them a negative spin. The change of venue and problems with Lil Fort is part of it, but I also think my last meet -- my first bad one in a couple years -- plays a role. It would be nice to feel a bit more upbeat in March. Perhaps the end of winter will help.

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Did a set of mine from last year. Pretty beat by the end. The blogs are such a nice feature. It's quite elucidating to go back and examine them. I have this notion in my head that I'm still not training as much or as fast as last year. Yet that notions seem, largely, to be false based on my blog entries. Shows you what a mind game this can all be ... Last year, I would have put a positive spin on the workouts and this year I give them a negative spin.

Thanks for sharing all of this! Sometimes I get caught up with work, other things, or just forget to post workouts here. But I do see it is important to at least post the set and some general feeling. I don't look back very often, but I have several years of history now and it is interesting to look back a year or 2, compare with today.

You've certainly had quite a winter! Hope you hit spring soon!!!

Oh, I'll be in the Pittsburgh area in late July. Going to a family thing near Altoona (Loretto specifically), and it seems least painful to just fly to PIT. I may try to hit some workouts while I'm in the area.

Thanks for sharing all of this! Sometimes I get caught up with work, other things, or just forget to post workouts here. But I do see it is important to at least post the set and some general feeling. I don't look back very often, but I have several years of history now and it is interesting to look back a year or 2, compare with today.

You've certainly had quite a winter! Hope you hit spring soon!!!

Oh, I'll be in the Pittsburgh area in late July. Going to a family thing near Altoona (Loretto specifically), and it seems least painful to just fly to PIT. I may try to hit some workouts while I'm in the area.

Yep, I think a "look back" once in awhile is helpful. I also like to see how I've rested for various meets and get workout ideas.

That would be great if you could hit a few practices! Mine are 5:30-7 M/W/F. Jen does the early am practices.

Having a printed record and looking back is a good thing! That must be a nice boost and reset to your outlook! I had a similar story - for YEARS, I thought I BOMBED at NCAAs. Somehow I assumed I went a 53 or so and just totally ate it. But when I had a chance to look back at the results, which were scanned in and uploaded in one of the USA website links, I saw I went a 51.3 (my best and entry time was 51.01). Having the wisdom of so many years later, I realized that no, I did not bomb, the time itself was respectable, but magnified because it was NCAAs. The other thing I realize now, that I didn't back then, was the qualifiying/best times coming in were FINALS times, and so to go 51.3 in PRELIMS at 9 or 10am with little fanfare - that was really quite something. It's too bad I didn't realize it then! And only about 30 girls qualify at all, so to not get in the top 16 - that was devastating, but really, now that I think about it, who cares - you have to qualify for NCAAs to not qualify for the finals!

Just keep up the good attitude - and remember, that even though you may not feel your best in any workout - it's just that - workout - what you do in a meet is entirely another thing - and that you are the type of sprinter than always rises to the occasion!!

Thanks chowmi. It kind of made me feel better. But I still feel like I have lost some of my mojo due to the move and fallout. I don't feel "light" anymore. And I did not rise to the occasion at my last meet. I felt awful, scratched most of my events and left early. However, I think my Jan-Feb training has been MUCH better. Now I think I am dealing with acclimating back to drylands. Another thing is that I feel like I have reached the age where improvement may be a thing of the past. I've known this time would come, but still it is a bit disheartening. If I have at least a decent meet at the Albatross Open that will cheer me right up, I know.

It's like the whole Do I Have Any Good Eggs Left? question. I wish there was a magic pill that told you exactly when your reproductive sell-by date has expired. And also one for When You Tap Out of Masters Improvement. I mean, if I knew that, i'd totally goof off in the hot tub!!!!

I don't think your improvement days are over. You're spent before you even get to the pool with life frustrations/anxiety and a constant low grade anxiety of IS MY CAR GOING TO BE BROKEN INTO AGAIN???? That would totally suck and sap the life out of me. I probably would be able to just lay on the deck and immediately fall asleep.

So recognize that and don't beat yourself up over it. It is very hard to stay at your elite best all the time. There are always elements to work on and different angles you can incorporate in your training. Do you pay much attention to your breathing patterns? How about play with that? Can you drop a breath? That will pay dividends when you do put it all together!

I do feel like I've had the life sucked out of me with the constant frustration and problems of the last six months. You nailed it. I just want to try to stay engaged by doing some meets while keeping expectations low. Breathing has been an issue for me lately. I seem to need more air. In my 50 free at NE Champs, I took four breaths instead of two. So that's not gonna improve. And I can't really switch events wo more aerobic training.

I feel like I have reached the age where improvement may be a thing of the past. I've known this time would come, but still it is a bit disheartening.

Indeed this is a scary thought. I try to push it out of my mind, but it keeps lurking there. When that date arrives, it's going to be hard to look up at the clock and never see the same times again. Chris' rating calculator certainly will help mitigate this problem. Until then, however, I think I still have some new speed to find, I just need to train. Look at what Rich Abrhams has done!

I can't really switch events wo more aerobic training.

I think you mean that you can't switch events and expect to be as competitive. You can certainly finish a 200 fly or 800 free legally if you want to - not that I am recommending it - but you could pick an off-event that intrigues you and have a lot of fun working your time down, as long as you can accept not being competitive for AA.